Foot exerciser



April m @3L hH. A. @Am-NER 1,801,769

FOOT E XERCISER Filed May 4; 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v VENTOR: Zi

Henry @armer BY TTORNEYS.

April 21,

WITNESSES H. A. GARTNER FOOT EXERCISER Filed May 4, 1929 2'Sheefcs-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR:

Heizry/arzer Patented Apr. 21, 1931 PATENT oFFlcE HENRY A. GARTNER, FBROOKLYN, NEW YORK l FOOT EXERCISER Application mea may 4, `1929.serialfno. 360,556.

This invention relates to devices useful in connection with therapeutictreatment of foot ailments.

My invention is concerned with the correction of deformities such asfallen or weakened arches, with strengthening and restoring strained andenfeebled voluntary and involuntary muscles of the feet and legs, etc.,incident to the performance of certain exercises; and its object is toprovide a simple and inexpensive device use ul in promoting the curativeeects of such exercises.

In the drawings Fig. I is a perspective view of my improved footexerciser.

Fig. II is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken asindicated by the arrows IIs-II in Fig. I; and, 'f

Figs. III and IV are transverse'sections taken respectively as indicatedby the arrows III-III and IV-IV in Fig. I.

- As herein depicted, the exerciser has the form of a hollow rectangularplate 5 which may be cast from metal or molded from a suitablecomposition, as found most convenient or expedient in practice. The topsurface of the plate 5 it will be noted, is counter conformative to thecontour of the foot soles, that is to say; it is characterized by arounded transverse ridge or hump 6 which rises rather abruptly, througha' mergent reverse curvature as at 7 in Fig. II, from the forward edgeof the plate 5, and recedes toward the rear at a more gradual and easyslope which is interrupted by slight undulations at 8, 8, the recessionltoward the side edges of the plate being likewise at a comparativelyeasy slope as seen to the best advantage at" 9,- 9 in Fig.k IV.

Durin performance of certain exercises such as, i lly explainedhereinafter, it is desirable that the toes of the feet be firmly helddown. To this end I provide the exereiser with a strap 10 which iscontinuously threaded lthrough suitably allocated slots 11, 12 in thetop of the plate 5, respectively at the sides and middle adjacent thefront edge, the ends of the strap being joined by sewing or otherwisewithin the hollow. of the plate as indicated in Fig. III. In securingthe toes, the excess length of the strap 10 is gathered into the form ofa loop 10a'l around a wedge post 13 upstanding centrally from the plate5 intermediate the slots 12, 12, and made fast by a clip 1/1 which Visadapted to engage 'over the top of said post 55 t with the sides of theloop clamped between.

To adapt the qexerciser for treatments where the a plication of heat isbeneficial, I place within its hollow an electric heating element 15which may embody a resistance 60 coil or coils 16 embedded in suitableinsulation, as.A conventionally shown in Figs. II-IV. This heatingelement 15 is held in place by a removable bottom plate of thermalinsulation 17 fastened by suitable secur- 65' ing means such as screws18. The leads 19 from the coils y16 of the heating element '15' arebrought out through`a bushing 20 centrally of thev front edge of theplate 5.

The device is also equipped with feet 21 70 of rubber or the like toprevent slippage incidental to use.

For exercise and development of the foot and leg muscles, the exerciseris used as follows: with the subject either sitting or standing andheels elevated, theV Atoesvof the feet are secured by means of the strap10 provided for the purpose. This preparatory step being made, thevoluntary toe muscles are moved so that the toes' grip downward S0 onthe exerciser, and the heels are thereupon gradually lowered whilepressure or weight is thrown to the outside of the feet and the Ulatterconcurrently twisted or rolled inward toward eachother by ankle motion.In the 35 course of this action, the muscles of the main transversearches, as well as the lower arches, and the longitudinal arches of thefeet are successively stretched and said arches forced upward as Contactis made 90 with the counter conformative curved top surface of the plate5. Also, as the heels are brought to lbear on the plate, the leg calfmuscles are likewise stretched or tensioned. Repeated rocking ofthe feeton the toes, and, at the same time laterally in the manner explained, isattended by beneficial exercising of the coordinated foot`and legmuscles; and persistent practice of such exercise over an extendedperiod will obviously reroo sult in strengthening and developing saidmuscles and reestablishing weakened or ,y broken down arches. Forvoluntary exercise of the foot muscles, 5 use of the strap isdispensedwith and the feet simply placed on the plate 5 so that the balls rest onthe highest portion of the transverse ridge or hump 6. In this case theheels are to act as the base with the highest point of the Vridge 6 asthe fulcrum, while the toes supply the power. Then with the heel pressedrrnly down and so held by the powerful flexor muscles of the plantarfascia and with the outer arch raised by the voluntary muscles on theouter side of the plantar fascia under-aid of the curves on theexerciser, the muscles of'the toes are acrtivated, and, with assistanceof certain of the leg muscles, flexed over the rise 6 of the plate 5 tothe end. that the transverse arch 'is raised through cooperation of thecurves on the eXerciser. The toes are firmly re laXed by the plantarmuscles whereupon the dorsal muscles function in preparation forrepetition of the exercise. Here again, various 'coordinated foot andleg muscles are brought into play and thus benefited and strengthenedafter a time for capacity to support the arches of the feet and tofunction in the normal way.

My exercisermay also'be employed for development of the musclescontrolling individual toes, as well as for the correction of otherailments and deformities in a manner obvious without further explanationherein. y

Having thus describedl my invention, I claim:

1. A therapeutic exerciser ofthe characo ter described having the formof a plate with its top surface counter-conformative to the naturalcontours of the foot soles, said surface embodying a transverse ridgerising abruptly through a mergent reverse curvature and having ankingside recessions, lsaid Nexerciser being adapted, as the feet descend'incident to rocking on either the toes or the heels or sidewise, toraise and support the longitudinal and transverse arches and at the sametime strengthen'coordinated muscles of the feet and legs.

2. A therapeutic exerciser of the characi tei` described having the formof a plate wlth its top surface counter-conformative to the naturalcontours of the' foot soles, said surface embodying a transverseridge'rising abruptly through a mergent reverse curvature at the frontof the plate and receding to the rear at a more gradual and easy slopewlth fianking downwardly directed side' recessions, said exerciser beingadapted, as the feet descend incident to rocking on the. toes,

to raise and support the `longitudinal and transverse arches and at thesame time strengthen coordinated muscles of the feet down the abruptlythrough ai mergent reverse curvature at the front of the Aplate andreceding to the rear at amore gradual and easy slope interrupted byslight undulations with anlcin downwardly directed side recessions ocomparatively easy slope, said exereiser being adapted, as the feetdescend incident to rocking on the toes, to raise and support thelongitudinal and transverse arches and at the same time strengthencoordinated muscles of the feet and legs, and a strap threadedcontinuously through suitably allocated holes inthe plate so as tocrosswise overlie and hold down the toes during exercise as aforesaid. gl

4 4. A therapeutic exerciser of the character described having the formof a plate with its top surface counter-conformative to the naturalcontours of the foot soles, said surface embodying a transverse ridgerising abruptly through a mergent reverse curvature at the front of theplate and receding to the rear at a more gradual and easy slopeinterrupted by slight undulations with flankin downwardly directed siderecessions'o comparatively easy slope, said exerciserbeing4 adapted, asthe eet descend incident to rocking on the toes, to raise and supportthe longitudinal and transverse arches `and at the same time strengthencoordinated muscles of the feet and legs, a strap threaded continuouslythrough suitably allocated holes in the plate so as to crosswise overlieandn hold down the toes during exercise as aforesaid, and a clipengageable over a central upstanding'lug on the plate to clamp andsecure the strap in adjusted positions.

5.. A therapeutic exerciser'of the character described having the formof a hollow plate with its top surface counter-conformative to thenatural contours of the foot soles, said surface embodyin -a transverseridge rising' abruptly throug a mergent reverse curvature at the frontof the plate and receding to the rear at a more gradual and easy slopeinterrupted b sli ht undulations with flanking downwar y rected siderecessions of comparatively easy slope, said exerciser bein adapted, asthe feet descend incident to rodliing on either the toes or heels orsidewis'e, to raise and support the longitudinal and transverse archesand at the same time strengthen coordinated muscles of the feet andlegs, and means for heating thev plate. w 6. A therapeutic exerciser ofthe charac ter described having the form of a' hollow plate withl itstop surface counter-conformative to the natural contours of the Y:footsoles, saidl surface embodying a transverse ridge rising abruptlythrough a mergent reverse curvature at the 'front of the platey andreceding to the rear at a more gradual. and easy slope interrupted byslight undulations with vflanking downwardly directed side recessions ofcomparatively easy slope, said` exerciser being adapted, as the feetdescend

